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(a) When the capital structure consists of equity share capital and debt only no
preference share capital is employed: Financial Break Even Point = Fixed Interest
Charges (b) When capital structure consists of equity share capital, preference share
capital and debt: Financial Break Even Point = I+ Dp (1 -t) Where, I= Fixed Interest
Charges Dp= Preference Dividend t= Tax Rate
The equivalency point for uncommitted earnings per share can be calculated as below:
(X-I) (1 -T)- PD- SF = (X-I) (1 -T)- PD- SF Where, X= Equivalency point or point of
indifference or break even EBIT level. I= Interest under alternative financial plan 1. I=
Interest under alternative financial plan 2. T= Tax rate. PD= Preference dividend. SF=
Sinking fund obligations. S= Number of equity shares or amount of share capital under
plan 1. S== Number of equity shares or amount of share capital under plan 2.
OPTIMAL CAPITAL STRUCTURE The capital structure is said to be an optimal capital
structure when a company selects such a mix of debt and equity which: (a) Minimises
the overall cost of capital; (b) Maximises the earning per share(EPS); (c) Maximises
the value of company; (d) Maximises the market value of the company’s equity shares;
(e) Maximises the wealth of the shareholders.
RISK- RETURN TRADE OFF The financial or capital structure decision of a firm to use
a certain proportion of debt or otherwise in the capital mix involves two types of risk:
(a) Financial Risk: (b) Non-Employment of Debt Capital (NEDC) Risk:
1. Financial Risk: The financial risk arises on account of the use of debt or fixed
interest bearing securities in its capital. A company with no debt financing has no
financial risk. The extent of financial risk depends on the leverage of the firms capital
structure. 2. Non-employment of Debt Capital(NEDC) Risk: The NEDC risk has an
inverse relationship with the ratio of debt in its total capital. Higher the debt-equity ratio
or the leverage, lower is the NEDC risk and vice versa.
CAPITAL STRUCTURE DECISIONS DEBT-EQUTY MIX FINANCIAL RISK NON-
EMPLOYMENT OF DEBT CAPITAL(NEDC) RISK-RETURN TRADE OFF MARKET-
VALUE OF TE FIRM (RISK-RETURN TRADE OFF)
1. Net Income Approach: This approach has been developed by Durand. The main
findings are: Ø Capital structure decisions are relevant to the valuation of the firm:
According to Net Income Approach, if a firm makes any change in its capital structure,
it will cause a corresponding change in the overall cost of capital as well as the total
value of the firm. Thus, the capital structure decisions are relevant to the valuation of
the firm.
Ø Increased use of debt will increase the shareholders’ earning: According to this
approach a firm can increase its total value(V) and lower the overall cost of capital
(Ko) by increasing the proportion of debt in its capital structure. In other words, the
increased use of debt will cause increase in the value of the firm as well as in the
earnings of the shareholders. As a result, the market value of equity shares of the
company will also increase.
ASSUMPTIONS (a) Capital structure consists of debt and equity. (b) Cost of debt is
less than cost of equity (i. e. Kd<Ke). (c) Cost of debt remains constant for all levels of
debt to equity. (d) The use of debt content does not change the risk perception of
investors.
Ø Increased use of debt will increase the financial risk of the shareholders: The
increased use of debt in the capital structure would lead to an increase in the financial
risk of the equity shareholders. To compensate for the increased risk, the shareholders
would expect a higher rate of return and hence the cost of equity will increase. Thus
the advantage of use of debt is offset exactly by the increase in the cost of equity.
ASSUMPTIONS (a) The market capitalises the value of firm as a whole. (b) Cost of
debt (Kd) is constant. (c) Increases use of debt increases the financial risk of equity
shareholders which, in turn, raises the cost of equity (Ke). (d) Overall cost of capital
(Ko) remains constant for all levels of debt equity mix. (e) There is no corporate
income tax.
Various calculation under Net Operating Income approach are explained below: 1.
Value of Firm (V): V = EBIT Ko where, V = Value of firm EBIT= Earnings before
interest ant tax (Ko)= Overall cost of capital 2. Market Value of Equity (S): S =V–D
where, S= Market value of equity V= Value of firm D = Market value of debt.
3. Cost of Equity Capitalisation Rate: the increased use of debt in the capital structure
would lead to an increase in the financial risk of the equity shareholders. To
compensate for the increased risk, the shareholders would expect a higher rate of
return and hence the cost of equity will increase. Cost of Equity (Ke) or Equity
Capitalisation Rate = Earnings available for equity shareholders Market value of equity
(S) X 100.
Stage 1: Increase in the value of firm and decrease in the cost of capital In the first
stage, both the cost of debt and cost of equity remain constant. As a result, the
increased use of debt in the capital structure will cause increase in the value of firm
and decrease in the overall cost of capital. This is based on the assumption that cost
of debt is less than cost of equity (i. e. Kd< Ke).
Stage 2: Optimal debt equity mix In the second stage, the firm reaches at an optimal
level. Optimal level means the ideal debt equity mix, which minimises the cost of
capital and maximises the value of the firm. Stage 3: Decrease in the value of firm and
increase in the cost of capital In the third stage the value of firm start declining and the
cost of capital start increasing. This happens because of debt beyond optimal level will
increase the risk of investors, so both Kd and Ke will rise sharply.
Calculation of Value of Firm (V): When taxes are applicable to corporate income, the
value of firm is determined by the following formulas suggested by MM. Value of
Unlevered Firm (Vu) = EBIT(1 -t) Ke Value of Levered Firm (VL) = Vu + (D X T)
[where, D= Debt. t = Tax rate]
CAPITAL GEARING A company can raise finance by issuing three types of securities-
(i) Equity Shares, (ii) preference Shares, (iii) Debentures. Equity shares are
considered as variable return securities because the dividend on equity shares is not
fixed and may vary from year to year. On the other hand, preference shares and
debentures are considered as fixed return securities because the dividend/interest on
preferences shares/debentures is always fixed. The use of preference share capital
and debentures along with the equity share capital in the capital structure with a view
to increase earnings available to equity shareholders is known as “capital gearing” or
“trading on equity”. Thus, the term capital gearing refers to the proportion between
equity shareholders funds and fixed interest bearing securities.
(2) Retention of Control: Equity shareholders are considered to be the real owners of
the company. They enjoy voting rights and participate in decision making process. If a
company needs funds for expansion it can exercise various options for raising finance.
However, if the existing shareholders do not want to dilute control over the company,
the company should prefer funds to be raised by issue of preference shares or
debentures. This is because the preference shareholders and debenturesholders are
not given any voting rights and as up o a certain level they also do not participate in
decision making process of the company.
(3) Trade Cycles: In order to improve profitability as well as financial position, the
companies usually follow the policy of low gearing during depression period and the
policy of high gearing during boom period.
CAPITAL GEARING AND TRADE CYCLES The effect of high and low gearing on the
financial position of a company during various phases of trade cycles are: (1) During
Boom Period: During boom period, the return on investments (ROI) of the company is
usually higher than the fixed rate of interest/dividend prevailing on
debentures/preference shares. Thus, during boom period, the company should follow
the policy of high gearing. This will improve the EPS as well as the financial position of
the company.
(2) During Depression Period: During depression period, the rate of earnings of the
company is usually lower than the fixed rate of interest/dividend prevailing on
debentures/preference shares. Hence, it becomes difficult for the company to pay
fixed costs of debentures and preference shares. Thus, during depression period, the
company should follow the policy of low gearing otherwise both the earnings per share
(EPS) as well as the financial position of the company will suffer adversely.